1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector for a truss assembly for the framework of a building and, more particularly, to a preassembled truss having a connector for securing internal chords of a truss to one another. In one particular aspect, the invention is particularly beneficial for preassembled roof trusses which are manufactured at a facility and shipped to a home builder's facility for installation on a roof truss and/or to a worksite for installation, such as in a modular housing structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The structural framework of a conventional structure typically comprises a plurality of wall studs spaced from one another, a horizontal top plate extending along the top edge of each of the wall studs and a plurality of roof trusses mounted to the top plate or studs. Internal chords making up a roof trusses must be securely mounted to one another to ensure a solid, rigid structure when the truss is finally mounted on a supporting structure.
Prior art connector straps have some shortcomings when applied in the area of preassembled (often referred to as “manufactured” or “modular”) homes. Modular home builders have difficulty designing a satisfactory uplift connection between a knee wall and a kingpost or a bottom chord of a roof truss for a modular home. The roof is typically raised into a final position at the construction site and the installers must then make the final connection between the knee wall and the kingpost/bottom chord. The current industry “standard” for making these connections is for builders to “shoot” nails from pneumatic nail guns at an angle (often referred to as a “toe nail”) to the knee wall into at least a runner rail and a kingpost. They also may use a wood sidemember placed along side the folding knee wall and kingpost secured with pneumatically driven nails or staples.
Currently, the manufacturers use a variety of methods to achieve this connection, including toe-nailing the knee wall to the kingpost or applying a side member attached with nails to both the knee wall and kingpost. These methods have very little quality control and result in field connections with widely varying levels of quality and structural strength. Building inspectors often become concerned about the lack of consistency in the design and application of these field connections on modular trusses. Building inspectors in several states (e.g., Michigan and New York) have expressed serious reservations about allowing manufacturers to continue making the connection with only toe nails or wood side-members. Many building inspectors have deemed these connection methods unsatisfactory.